Short Summary

BRITAIN'S NAVY MINISTER,MR CHRISTOPHER MAYHEW, RESIGNED FROM HIS POST TODAY (SATURDAY) OVER THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO MAINTAIN A GLOBAL DEFENCE POLICY ON A SMALLER MILITARY BUDGET.

Description

BRITAIN'S NAVY MINISTER,MR CHRISTOPHER MAYHEW, RESIGNED FROM HIS POST TODAY (SATURDAY) OVER THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO MAINTAIN A GLOBAL DEFENCE POLICY ON A SMALLER MILITARY BUDGET.

IN A SPECIAL STATEMENT TODAY, MR MAYHEW SAID THAT PRESENT PLANS TO KEEP UP BRITISH COMMITMENTS EAST OF SUEZ AND AT THE SAME TIME TRIM DEFENCE SPENDING TO 2,000 MILLION POUNDS A YEAR, WAS BOUND TO LEAD TO AN UNDESIRABLE DEPENDENCE ON THE UNITED STATES. HE CHALLENGED THE PRESENT ANGLO-AMERICAN PLANS AIMED AT THE CONTAINMENT OF CHINA AND SAID IT WAS DOUBTFUL IF ANY WHITE NATION COULD CARRY OUT AN EFFECTIVE PEACE-KEEPING ROLE EAST OF SUEZ DURING THE 1970'S. ALTHOUGH BRITAIN WILL CLEARLY STILL HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITIES IN THAT AREA IN THE NEXT DECADE, BRITAIN, HE SAID, SHOULD DECIDE NOW NOT TO ACCEPT ANY FURTHER COMMITMENTS EAST OF SUEZ EXCEPT AS MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

MR MAYHEW'S RESIGNATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO LEAD TO ANY INTERNAL SPLIT WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS A TINY THREE VOTE OVERALL MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

DETAILS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE PLANS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY.